Judge delays trial of father, son charged with murder

A judge ordered a more than three-month delay in the trial of a father and son charged with murder.

Joshua Young and Josh Gouker were scheduled to go on trial in mid-April but that's no longer the case.

Gouker and Young are accused in the May 2011 baseball-bat-beating death of Trey Zwicker, Gouker's stepson and Young's stepbrother.

Zwicker's body was found behind Liberty High School.

Gouker originally told police his son was solely responsible, but has since taken blame for the killing.

Young's lawyers objected to a trial delay.

“We were ready to go to trial last fall. My client is now 17 years old in June, and he will have been incarcerated for two years,” said Young’s attorney, Pete Schuler.

Attorneys for the teenager again asked that Young be placed on home incarceration pending the trial.

Judge Barry Willett set aside three hours for the hearing, but it was apparent early on that there are too many issues including, the past abuse and dependency record of Gouker, competency and statements made by jailhouse informants.

“The four individuals incarcerated who were or now incarcerated, who came forward and said Mr. Gouker told them, ‘I planned this and I had my son carry it out,’ that's clearly on the table here if they are to be tried together,” said Leslie Smith, Young's attorney.

Willett already has ruled the two will be tried together.

“Based on the additional issues that need to be addressed, this is in everyone's best interest to reassign the trial date,” said Willett.